Cloth-folding machine



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

J E. WINDLE.

CLOTH FOLDING MACHINE. No. 296,374. Patented Apr. 8, 188 i t (No Model.)

. 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. J. E. WINDLE.

CLOTH FOLDING MACHINE.

A 8 8 1 QUI r P w P n A m t 5 L n e t 9w P n w A I L F 5 W M y F A 7 I k 3 W 9 2 0 N 0 d w W r m E n M N PETERS. Phnlmmiwgnphzr. Washiugkm 0 c UNITED STATES PATENT @FHCE.

JOHN EMORY VVINDLE, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

CLOTH-FOLDING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATIQN forming partof Letters Patent No. 296,374, dated April 8, 1884.

Application filed March 5, 1883. (No model.) i

to be described in the following specification and represented in the accompanying drawings, of which Figure l is a side elevation, and Fig. 2 an 'end view, of a machine embodying my invention, the nature of which is defined in the claims hereinafter presented. Fig. 3 is an inner side elevation of one pair of the yielding jaws and their sustaining-standard, to be described. Fig. 4 is aside view of the vibrator, and Fig. 5 is a top view; Fig. 6, an inner side view; Fig. 7, an end view of the pair of vibratory temples and their carrier, to be hereinafter explained.

This machine is for double-folding a piece of wide cloth-that is to say, it folds it once lengthwise, and next several times crosswise; and thematerial elements of such machine consist of two pairs of endless chains, their bars and yielding jaws, a cloth-roller, a receivingplatform, a vibrator, a distender, and a pair of temples, all being arranged and provided with suitable mechanism, as shown and described, for operating the chains, jaws, vibrator, and distender, as hereinafter explained.

In the said drawings, A is the frame for supporting the main operative parts, such frame having erected on it or making part of it two vertical standards, B B, connected at their up per parts by a bar, 0. Between these standards are two pairs of endless chains, D, those of each pair being arranged as shown in Fig. 1, and each chain being sustained by two sprocket-wheels, E F, disposed as represented. The upper sprocket-wheels, E, of the chains are fixed on two horizontal shafts, G G, which carry connecting-gears H H. Attached to one of these shafts is a pulley or wheel, I, about which and another, 72, of a set of cone-pulleys, ab cd, is an endless belt, K. (See Fig. 1.) These cone-pulleys, connected to each other, revolve freely, as also does a loose pulley, c,-upou a shaft, f, arranged as represented. The said shaft f constitutes the pivotal shaft of the vibrator L, consisting of two arms, 9 g, and a roller, h, arranged between and dulysupported by them, all being as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and .4. Between the said arms of the vibrator, and duly supportedloy the frame A, is a horizontal platform, M, upon which the cloth, as finally or cross folded, rests.

From the shaft f an arm, i, slitted lengthwise, extends downward, and is jointed to a connecting-rod, is, pivoted to a crank-wheel, Z, fixed upon an arbor, m, carrying a driving pulley, n, all being arranged as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. An endless belt, 0, goes around the pulley n and the pulley d, whereby when the cone-pulleys are revolved by a driving-belt going around the largest, as, of said pulleys the vibrator L will be caused to oscillate or vibrate from one position, L, to another, L and next from the latter to the former.

Extending from one to the other of the chains of each pair of endless chains D is a series of bars, 19, those of each series being placed at equal distances apart. The bars of each chain project at their ends beyond it, soas while ascending to pass between two pairs of yielding jaws, q q, one pair of such jaws being arranged in the inner side of each of the standards B, in manner as shown in Fig. 3. The jaws, formed as shown in said figure, are held to the standards by screws 1', going through slots 8 in the jaws, such jaws resting against springs t, and being free to move laterally. While bars of the two pairs of endless chains come together, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, and pass between the jaws, such bars will by the jaws be forced toward each other upon and so as to grasp and hold between them the cloth folded lengthwise at its middle. N as passing from a mass or pile, N, of it upward between the bars 19 of the chains, and thence partly about a roller, 0, fixed on one of the shafts G, thence to and partly around the roller h of the vibrator L, and thence down to the platform M, such vibrator during its oscillations causing the cloth to be crosswise folded and laid in folds regularly upon such platform. In passing upward from the pile N, the cloth at each of its two opposite edges or selvages is carried through one of a pair of roller-temples, R R, supported by a stationary carrier, S, arranged as represented in Fig. 2. These temples are particularly exhibited in Figs. 5, 6, and 7, each at or near its middle being pivoted in the carrier, as shown at u a in In Fig. 1 the cloth is shown at Figs. 5 and 6, so as to be capable of turning or vibrating therein, there being extended from each temple, in manner as shown, a bent stop, '11, which, when bringing up against the temple carrier or supporter, limits the extent of vibration of the temple in one direction. By having the temple pivoted at or near its middle to its carrier the temple will adjust itself to the cloth, so as to prevent the latter while passing through the temple from slipping out of engagement therewith, as it is liable to do when the temple is not pivoted to its carrier.

To the rod w of each of the temple-cases, 00, there is hinged or pivoted a presser, y, to extend underneath the temple toothed roller 2, in manner as represented; and there is around and fixed to the rod and to the presser a spiral spring, a, to force the presser toward the roller. After leaving the pile N, the two selvages of the cloth are passed, respectively, through the two temples, each selvage going up betweena presser and its toothed roller, the cloth at that part of its middle which is opposite the two temples being forced in a horizontal direction away from them by the next portion of the machine, which I term the distender, which is shown at T in Fig. 2. It consists of a lever curved near its upper end, in manner as represented, and fulcrumed near its lower into the space between the folds of the cloth in a manner to distend the cloth opposite to where itis held by the temples. On the conepulleys being revolved, the endless chains will be put in movement, and the cloth will be drawn upward from the pile N and through the temples, and in moving upward will be distended and be folded at and along its middle lengthwise of it, and, finally, by means of the vibrator will be laid in a series of crosswise folds upon and over the platform.

In practice, the cloth, while advancing from the roller 0, will, by the reciprocatingvibratory movements of the Vibrator, be caused to fall in even folds crosswise of it upon and over the platform.

I claim- 1. The cloth-folding machine or combination, substantially as described, consisting of the two sets of endless chains, their bars and yielding jaws, the cloth-roller, the receivingplatform, the vibrator, the distender, and the two temples, all arranged and provided with mechanism for operating the said chains, jaws, vibrator, and distender, essentially as set forth.

2. The carrier-frame S, having the bent stop 1), in combination with the roller-temples R R, pivoted to such frame, as set forth.

3. A roller-temple provided with a yielding presser, in combination with and pivoted to a carrier-frame, as set forth.

4. A roller-temple, R, consisting of the toothed roller 2, presser y, rod w, spring a, and case :0, as set forth.

JOHN EMORY WINDLE.

WVitnesses:

DAVID MAN ING, Jr., W. L. PALMER. 

